The Washington bee., 1887-01-08
REV. J. W. RILEY'S FIRST
SERMON.
THE 10TH ST. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
CROWDED. THE DISTING UISHED
DIVINE TELLS SOME TRUTHS.

Last Sabbath morning the 18th
st. Presbyterian church was
crowded to it's utmost capacity.
The occasion was the introduction
of the new pastor Rev. John w.
Riley of Louisville, Ky. The
choir under the leadership of Prof.
Henry Grant, with Miss Lizzie
Piper at the organ sang we'll, and
all present seemed to enjoy the
words as they fell from the lips of
this eloquent divine. The general
impression is that Dr.. Riley
is the right man in the right place
and as DR.. Shadd said in his re-
marks to the congregation, that
the minister must be properly
supported. The church, eaid he,
is entirely out of debt aud if the
members and congregation will
do their duty, success will follow
the church throughout the year.
Rev. Riley being introduced
said, that he desired to know the
address and names of the mem
bers of his chdrch, and said that
he would deem it, not only his
uty to visit the sick, but a pleas
ule, and I hope, said he, that on
next Lords day, the members will
put their names aud address in
the contribution basket.
[ have selected for my text, 1st
Cor. II--2 "For [ determined
not to know anything among you,
save Jesus Christ aud HIM C. uci-
fed" Sometimes it Is very
difficult matter to tell just pre-
cisely, clearly aud distinctly what
the principles and doctrines OF
some individuals are Some in.
dividuals pride themselves upon
their oddities and eccentriclties,
which declares nothing and defines
nothing simply Causes IA spasmodic
attraction, then yanishes like the
morning cloud and early dew.
Others have some times the pecu-
liar faculty of gathering together
IA lew mystic platitudes, clothing
them with few glittering gener-
alities, which they vainly hope
and believe will leave the impress
sion upon those VINO read them
of erudition of great depth of
thought aud intellectual research.
After having read and re-read on
the lines and between the lines we
tiud confused mass of contradic
tiors, evasions and mysticisms
hurlful iOr time and ruinous for
eternity. Doub less this has been
the experience of many of you
who have read the Aguostic plat
forms as these have emanated
from time to time from the leaders
OF that school of thought. How
you have eudeayored 10 find out
one plank in their platforms that
agreed the one with the other. 1t
would almost seem that they had
agreed to disagree. They do not
form one grand harmonious, but
one grand inharmonious whole.
True they Say our theory is the
theory OF the Unknowable. Kant
tie founder of the school. rea,
sons thus: Gail our knowledge
begins with sense, proceeds theuce
to understanding and ends with
reason, beyond which nothing
higher can be discovered in the
human mind, for celebrating the
matters of intention and subject
ing it to the highest unity of
thought" Listen how Sir VIM.
Hamilton another leader reasons:
The mind can conceive and con-
sequently can know, only the linn
tied and the conditionally limited.
The unconditionally unlimited or
the infinite the limited, or the alb
solute cannot possibly be con-
stiued to the mind, they can only
be conceived by thinking away
from those conditions under which
thought is realized. After all
this | would net be surprised to
hear you responding with no little
sarcasm "Mirabitedictu" "Mirabi.
tedictu." l might further quote
Mansell, Herbert, Spencer, j.
Stuart Mills and others, but it is
unnecessary. Now pray tell me
what grain OF soul comfort can be
extracted from those hyper-phiIo.
sophicaI terms and phrases. Ii
may do for souls like Mills and
Spencer who forsooth may be
translated to a higher metaphysi.
cal atmosphere who are baskipg
in the sunshine of some unknowa-